artists
every piece has a story, and every story begins with an artist
NEW ZEALAND · CONTEMPORARY SCULPTURAL ARTIST
Jamie Adamson
Jamie Adamson is a contemporary sculptural artist whose flowing, organic forms bring together craftsmanship, movement and an enduring connection to the natural world. Drawing on skills developed through boat building, he bends and shapes materials with precision while allowing their natural character to guide the work.
about
Jamie Adamson’s relationship with wood began long before he started making sculpture.
Childhood holidays in Hawke’s Bay often meant time in his grandfather’s workshop, learning to use tools and machinery and discovering the satisfaction of making and repairing things by hand. That early connection continued through time spent working alongside his father, Don, on cars, tree houses and building projects.
After leaving school, Jamie completed an apprenticeship in boat building. Working across three different boat yards, he developed experience with timber, steel and fibreglass, along with a lasting appreciation for material, form and skilled craftsmanship.
His approach was later influenced by naval architect Craig Loomes, who showed Jamie how an idea could begin as a simple sketch and evolve into something both beautifully considered and functional. Boat building taught him patience, precision and the importance of shaping an idea until the finished form feels right.
For many years, raising a young family and running a commercial business left little time to pursue his interest in wood. Instead, he made furniture for the family home—until there was simply no room left.
Now, with the business sold and the encouragement of his wife, Carla, Jamie has returned to the materials and process that have always drawn him in.
Using techniques developed through boat building, Jamie creates sculptural pieces shaped by natural forms, flowing lines and the physical pleasure of making. His work sits somewhere between structure and nature—carefully constructed, yet guided by the grain, movement and individual character of the material.
There is an instinctive quality to Jamie’s process. While technical knowledge provides the foundation, he allows each piece to evolve through making, responding to the material rather than forcing it towards a predetermined conclusion.
What began in his grandfather’s workshop has come full circle. Jamie is now carving out his own sculptural language, transforming a lifetime of practical knowledge into forms that feel fluid, balanced and quietly alive.
And if a piece seems to hold movement within it, perhaps it is still finding its final shape.
Jamie Adamson
A large timber wall sculpture that turns reclaimed rimu floorboards into a lively interplay of lines, spaces and shadows.
Rimu Eclipse by Jamie Adamson is built from lengths of rimu arranged in overlapping directions. The boards cross and gather within an elongated form, leaving openings that allow the wall behind to become part of the work.
The timber’s warm colour and visible grain give the sculpture a strong natural presence. As light moves across it, the layered boards cast changing shadows, adding depth to its already intricate pattern.
At 170 × 50 cm, Rimu Eclipse could be displayed horizontally above a sofa, sideboard or bed, or vertically in an entrance or stairwell.
Layered. Architectural. Warm.
Rimu floorboards 170 × 50 cm
Please refer to the artwork photographs for its colour, grain and construction.